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(No Model.

. J. R. LITTLE. MANUFACTURE OF METAL;'WHEELS. No; 361,952. r P

atented Apr- 26. 7;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES R. LlT'lliE, OF (QUINCY, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOH TO THE QUINCY METAL \VHEEL COMPANY, OF

SAillE PLACE.

MANUFACTURE OF METAL WHEELS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 361,952, dated April 26. 1887.

Application filed August .1, lit-ti.

To all whom it may concern:

\ it known that I. Jun-1s R. Lrr'rLn, of Quincy,in the county ofAdanis,and in the State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and'useful Improvements in the Mann facture of Metal \Vheels; and I do hereby declare that the following is a in, clear, and exact. description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of a wheel constructed in accordance with my method and by my mechanism. Fig. 2 is an eulargedside elevation of it spoke and a central section of the hub,and of dies employed for securing said 5 spoke therein, said parts being shown in their relative positions before the action ot'said dies.

Fig. 3 is a like view of the same after the spoke has been operated upon; and Figs. l and rare similar views of the compressing mechanism a spoke-end, and a portion of the rim, and show, respectively, the spoke before and after having been secured in place.

.l'ietters of like name and kind refer to like parts in eaeh'of the figures.

In the useofmelal wheels the greatest strain upon the spokes is where each enters the hub and rim, and when injury or breakage of it spoke occurs it is nearly always at one ofsuch points, and usually results from a lack of strength rather than a defect in the metal. Another dillicult-y sometimes arises from the imperfect iilling of a spoke-mortise, in rousequence of which said spoke will work loose and soon render the wheel worthless for the purpose intended.

To remedy these difficulties is the design of myinvention, which invention consists in the methods and mechanism employed, substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter-speci- In the carrying tice I employ a metal hub, A, which has one row ortwo rows of radial equidistant mortises,

v a, each of which has a slightly-increasing di- 5 ameter from its inner end outward, and is adapted to receive a round metal spoke, 1;, that has such size as to enable it to be readily passed into the same.

'I o secure a spoke in position, the hub A- is placed upon a suitably-supported mandrel, (3,

of my invention into prae- -eration will be the same Serial No. 210103. (No medeLl and a spoke, B, is inserted within one of the mortises a, with its lower end resting upon said mandrel, after which -a pair of clampingjaws. D, are caused to firmly grasp said spoke at a point above said hub, and then to move downward, so as toeompress it longitudinally between the point where it is grasped by said clamps and the mandrel.

The longitudinal compression of the spoke B produces such lateral expansion as to cause itto closely fill the mortise a in the usual manner; but as such compression is mainly downward the tapering form of said mortisesecures an important :ulvantage,as it enables the entire length of the latter to be filled. instead, as in the case of straight mortiscs, of filling the upper, portion only.

In order that the spoke B may be stifi'ened and strengthened at and near the point where it euters the hub A, the clamping-jaws l) are arranged to grasp said spoke only at their upper ends, and from such point to their lower ends their conlininggrooves d have a regularlyincreasing diameter. Such construction causes said spoke to be compressed lougitiulinally for about twice the length which would be necessary for filling the mortiseu, and gives to that portion immediately outside of said hub an o'utwardly-tapering form. As by longitudinal compression alone the spoke is made more strong-and stiff, the taper described may be omitted, if desiret The outer ends of the spokes B are secured within a rim, E, in the same manner as in the hub A, for which purpose the jaws D are employed, and in place of the mandrel U a plunger, 1*, is used, and is adapted to impinge upon the end of said spoke.

The method and mechanism employed rendeis practicable the production of a wheel which will largely exceed-in strength wheels having equal weight, but constructed, in the usual manner, with straight mortises and spokes.

It will be obvious that the principle of opif the mandrel C and plunger Fare arranged to move'toward the clamping-jaws D, or be moved sinmltaueonsly toward each other, instead of having said mandrel and plunger said parts are adapted to IOO --stationar yaud causing saidelamping-jaws alone to move.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- I 1. As an improvement in the manufacture of metal wheels, the method of stiffening and strengthening the spokes, which eonsistsin compressing each spoke longitudinally, so as to form upon or-of the same atand immediately outside of the point of its union with the hub an enlargement that has an outwardly-decreasingdiameter, snbstantiallyasafidforthe purpose specified. v

2. As an improvement in the l'nanufacture of metal wheels, the method of stiffening and strengthening the spokes, which consists in compressing each spokelongitudinally, so as to form upon or of the same at and immediately inside of the point of its union with the rim an enlargement that has an inwardly-decreasing diameter, substantially as and for the purpose "hown.

3. As an improvement i'nthe manufacture of metal wheels, the method of combining the spokes with the hue, which consists, first, in forming within the hub 22. series of radial mor'- tises that haveeach an outwardly-increasing diameter, next in inserting within each mortise one end. of a straight metal spoke, and

finally compressing such spoke end long'i tudinally until it closely fills the mortise, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. As an improvement in the manufacture of metal'wheels, the method (if-combining the spokes with the mm, which consists, first, in

. forming within the rim aseries of radial mortises that have each an inwardly-increasing diameter, next in inserting within each mortise one'cnd of a straight metal spoke, and finally compressing such spoke-end longistantially as and for the purpose shown and described.

5. As an improvement in mechanism for manufacturing metal wheels, afiorganizaucn inwhieh are coinbined a; mandrel which. is

adaptedto form a bearing for the end of :1- spoke when .the same is inserted within the mortise of a hub or rim, jaws that are provided within their inner faces with coinciding half-round tapering grooves, and are adapted to grasp :1. spoke within the smallest )ortion of said grooves at a point farthest fr m the mortise, means whereby said jaws may be pressed together upon the spoke, and means whereby said jaws and spoke-bearing may be relatively moved toward each; other, substanlially as and for the purpbsespeeified.

In testimony'that I claim the foregoing l- 'tudinally until it closely fills the mortise, subhave hereunto set my hand "this 28th day of .60 

